The 395 and Owens Valley-Eastern Sierra Region

Bad times make for good stories. We planned a weekend where we'd head up White Mountain road from Big Pine to camp at the trailhead. I flat-towed my buddy's CJ up until we hit dirt at the Bristlecone Pines, then he drove on his own. After camping Friday night, we hiked up to the peak in the morning as an elevation trainer (easiest 14er in the valley). It was a very pleasant morning but on the way back to camp it began to hail HARD. We ran back while getting pelted by pea-sized hail. It was bone dry back at camp, where another buddy had been tooling around on his dirt bike. He had no idea why we were soaking wet.

Then we began traveling back down the mountain, with the intention of taking the shortcut shelf road back to Bishop (Silver Canyon road) and maybe a stop at the Laws Museum. On the way, we found a pair of adventure bikers with one flat front tire. We had enough space in the trucks (and buddy's moto ramp) to load him up and take him back to town, his friend riding alongside. Then my friend's CJ began having brake problems, his pedal kept traveling further and further to the floor before they gave up the ghost. We decided to hitch him up back to my truck and take the safer road back to Big Pine.

Finally arrived in Bishop and dropped off the motorcycle guys, then we went to the Tri-county fair. Drank beer and ate carnival food, and watched the demo derby. When we got back to the trucks, we found that his Jeep's exhaust was hanging on by a thread. Had to tie it up to the frame to keep it in place. He was so fed up with it that I ended up taking him home instead of camping another night. Got back home to LA at like 4 in the morning. Still a great trip.

 

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Everything gets gnarly up on a mountain! I had to sprint down Santa Rosa Mountain by San Jacinto during the summer in a flash flood with my tripod and camera bag, knowing my truck was half way up a rocky exposed trail rapidly becoming a river - the crazy part was I had missed a friend's wedding due to rain the day before and impulsively kept driving for an adventure. Like .1% chance of rain 2 days in a row in the summer.

Definitely sounds fun.

 

Yes things can go south out in the wild, and when they do they go fast! I've been meaning to hike San Jack one of these days, my favorite area in LA is Baldy (for hiking and skiing).

 

Exactly that. The structural engineering bill alone would make it not feasible. Never mind paying 300+ a sq/ft to have it built to CA code.

 

A trip to the Volcanic Tablelands - the place we'd recently found some amazing petroglyphs - seemed like a perfect way to spend a few empty days on the calendar. Until tragedy struck!

Tragedies in the Tablelands​

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Keep reading the rest here
Tragedies in the Tablelands​

 

I want to explore that area again as well. Chidago is such a fun little mini adventure road.

 

I shared this in my recent report and thought it would be suitable to share here. All credit goes to @HBMurphy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-Jku2U3-8E&t=15s

 

I’m honored But know that I tie a knot on the glove and tend to pick up my poop just like I do when I walk my dog. The real intent of the ‘Murphy Method’ as is has been dubbed, is to keep your hands clean and keep those fucking desert streamers (toilet paper) from trashing our beautiful wilderness.

 

I give you a "Well Done!" on the video!

We need to get that message out to the masses.

 

I was thinking of this the other day when one of my friends, who is a UPS driver, mentioned he carried a 5 gallon bucket in the truck as his route is very rural. If he can do it, so can the peeps in the desert.

 

I know on the Rogue River in southern Oregon you have to have a camp shitter on your raft.

 

And you really don't need a bucket. On many of my backpacking trips, I have used wag bags. It was gross to think about at first but I am proud to say, I have yet to have one leak on me! lol

 

If you ride around in a UPS truck all day, you need a bucket

If you own a dog, it's just a bigger handful. Although I do sort of "get it" with respect to spreading poop. The idea being it dries and scatters to the wind in a few days--the thing is that today, that's a lot of drying and wind you're depending on.

 

Well, I would respectfully beg to differ. Would you leave your dog's poop in your backyard for a few months and then have a wedding in your backyard? Asking for a friend. Some of these places have turned into shit holes in the last year.

 

I should have been clearer. 10 years ago, it might have been OK to spread it and leave it. Today, no. And not even in places that are rarely visited. The dog reference was only the comfort of picking the poop up.

 

copy that.

 

I use WAG bags as well.

Yes, the first time was a little questionable. But it's no big deal. Quick and easy.

Besides, how bad can it really be? After all, you ATE that stuff to begin with!

 

...I'd been home less than a week after Tragedies in the Tablelands, and I still had the itch to get out and see everything I'd planned before things went all wonky. And so, just after 3:00am on a Thursday morning, I pulled out of the garage, a now-familiar drive ahead of me.

My drive ended in the dark, and as I climbed into bed and fell asleep, I was full of anticipation of what I'd see in the morning, since I'd heard how amazing Alabama Hills can be....

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Full story and many more photos
It's True What They Say About Alabama Hills - Owens Valley #1




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I can't wait to take this trip. I was going to go in April, but I think I will wait until June. I want to be sure Devil's Postpile is open.

 

Not much to be done about crowds unfortunately. It's a rugged looking area but very easy to get to, so everyone and their mother goes. I don't bemoan people enjoying nature- selling their brand with it is a bit off-putting, but what are you gonna do.

If you ever have the chance, check out the film museum in Lone Pine. We killed some time there while waiting to meet a buddy before going to the Portal (and hiking Whitney that night). Some neat history of how they made movies there.